Iron Man vs Luke Skywalker
by Sivad Ttarp
Summary: While on Dagobah training in the ways of the force, Luke has a very strange encounter.


Iron Man vs. Luke Skywalker

"Are you sure this is wise, Mr. Stark?"

Tony Stark smiled condescendingly. Dr. Chance knew not to take it personally; it was the only way Tony Stark ever seemed to smile. The only question was whether or not it was intentional. She figured it probably was. "You wait tell approximately," he glanced at the band on his wrist, "A minute and a half before the big test to voice your concerns? Really, Doctor, you surprise me?"

"I've been voicing these concerns for the last six weeks," She sighed, "_approximately_."

"Noted," said Stark, "Must've slipped my mind. I assure your fears are unfounded."

"Oh, of course, we're opening a portal to parts and dimensions unknown for the first time with potentially unstable technology and you think that's not worth worrying about. You're too great a…asset to the company to be the first and only one through. We could send a probe, a robot, maybe someone else more qualified."

"Firstly," he said, "There is in fact no one more qualified mentally and physically for the task, need I remind you what went down in New York two months ago?" Chance tried not to roll her eyes, _only every few minutes, Mr. Stark. _"Secondly, I designed the mechanism, I own the company, and I'm the boss. I want to do it, and I sort of tend to get what I want. Now if you'll excuse me, you've a station to watch." He patted her on the shoulder and walked away.

_That man_, Chance sighed, focusing on the monitor, _I think I'm the only woman in the room who wants to strangle him instead of lay him. _

Tony clapped his hands three times, "Hello everyone, welcome." The assorted staff gave him their attention. The large room was filled with at least twenty scientists and technicians around the mechanical apparatus, along with a handful of security guards, not that they would be highly effective against anything Mr. Stark himself couldn't handle.

"Today represents a lot of work on behalf of myself and everyone else here, I couldn't have done it alone, thank you," Tony said. "As you're probably aware, the Tesseract is gone and SHIELD has shut down the program. I don't blame them, but here at Stark Industries we believe in taking the occasional mitigated risk in order to bring forth the greatest good. Using my own arc reactor designs, as well as SHEILD and HYDRA Tesseract technology, we've been able to construct a portal generator which should generate enough clean power to light New York for a year after a minute of use, not to mention the academic and transportation benefits of such a device. Today, we are explorers, magicians, heroes. Let's suit up."

As she ran her final diagnostics, Dr. Chance couldn't help but glance over as Tony was covered by his Iron Man suit with a series of clicks and whirs. She'd used to think Tony Stark was the living manifestation of every twelve-year–old boy's desired lifestyle: cars, money, women, and now the suit. She tried not to think about how much she wanted one, and focused on her work. _A few more years on this salary and, well, you never know. And to think people ask me why I took this job. _

"This cable will be attached to you the entire time," a scientist was telling Mr. Stark, hooking a steel line to the back of his suit. "And you'll be sending data to us constantly. Say the word and we pull you out. Just step out take a look around, and come right back."

"Got it, sounds just as good as it did when I planned it," the gold and crimson helmet nodded. "Do it."

A countdown begin, Dr. Chance got back to work. "Three," said a voice which sounded suspiciously like Tony Stark's resident AI, Jarvis. "Two. One." The glowing circular power cell in the device intensified in brightness. A circular nexus of blue energy appeared in the center of the room, floating inches off the ground.

Iron Man took a step and then another, bounding through the portal and out of sight. Almost instantly, the shimmering field collapsed. The flood lights flickered, and sparks burst from a nearby console, the scientist behind it was thrown out of his chair. The severed end of the cable fell to the floor.

There was a second of silence, and then the man in charge began to shout. "Alright, everyone, I want that portal open and I want him back right now."

Dr. Chase's fingers flew across the touch-screen keyboard as she dived into the machine's operations code. "I knew something like this would happen," she whispered under her breath. "I knew it."

…

Running, Luke Skywalker planted his foot in the center of a particularly knobby root and launched himself into the air; he flipped to land in a crouch on the other side of the gap a few yards away, avoiding the muddy marsh water. He paused to survey his surroundings, a dense forest of black twisted trees to the left of him, and murky water to the right, everything covered with just a few inches of fog. Since joining the Rebel Alliance, Luke had been to plenty of planets and environments far different than the deserts of Tatooine, yet none of them completely felt like home.

He took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly, calming his heart rate as Yoda had taught him. He took pleasure in the dull ache throughout his muscles. Luke had always been physically fit, even before becoming a Rebel Alliance operative made it all but necessary for survival, but it was nothing to how he felt now, physically and spiritually as well. His training with Jedi Master Yoda had brought him closer to the Force than ever before.

Luke sensed a faint displacement in the force, over in seconds, perhaps synonymous with a rustling in a nearby pocket of trees, and the sound of wood snapping. Luke approached slowly, his hand resting at the lightsaber hilt on his hip. Yoda had warned him this area held many dangers, but had not elaborated on the subject, even when Luke had asked.

It was not until he had neared the thicket that it exploded outward in a wave of energy, ripping the nearby trees apart and knocking Luke on his back. He got to his feet, and pulled out his lightsaber, its blue blade crackling into existence.

A humanoid shape in red and gold colored metal armor emerged, white light glowed from its eyes and the circle set into its chest. Was it a robot, or was there a man beneath the armor, Luke wondered; friend or foe? He looked a bit like a bounty hunter, Luke guessed.

"Oh," said the man, "There are humans here. That's interesting."

"What do you want?" Luke asked.

"I want to meet your leader," the Iron Man shrugged.

Had he come for Master Yoda? "I can't let you do that, not unless I know I can trust you," said Luke, who felt he was becoming steadily less and less likely to ever trust this man.

"I don't have time for this," the armored man sighed. Planting his feet, he began to lift into the air.

A telekinetic force slammed him into the ground. "That's it," Iron Man wiped the mud from his helmet, "Enough." He aimed hand, palm out, and sent a repulsor blast toward the young man. Best to finish this quickly and he didn't particular want to injure the young man, not yet at least.

Luke brandished his lightsaber and caught the energy blast, though the impact nearly tore the lightsaber from his grip, and managed to deflect the next one as well. He dodged to the side and was thrown into a tree from the glancing impact. Luke force leapt toward the Iron Man, bringing his lightsaber down in a swipe that burned the outer armor from the man's right forearm.

Iron Man dodged back from Luke's sapphire blade, ducking beneath its arc. He caught Luke's wrist, and another from his left palm sent the lightsaber flying away into the underbrush.

Luke swung, punching Tony straight in his armored face. Iron Man reeled, it was a more powerful blow than he expected, almost like being hit by Steve Rogers. The boy sent a side kick into his gut.

Iron Man grabbed Luke by the shoulders, and head-butted him in the face. Luke stumbled backward, and Iron Man came out swinging. Luke caught his arm and spun, throwing the armored man into the swamp. He disappeared for a matter of seconds, before bursting from the water, lifted on repulsors, to land back on dry land. The weapons banks on his shoulders and left arm opened, humming as they powered up.

Luke stretched out his hand and the lightsaber flew back into his grip, he fell back into a ready position. "_Power at 74% percent capacity,"_ Jarvis's voice sounded inside Tony's helmet. _"The damage to the right arm weapons systems is draining energy. I recommend finishing this quickly, and turning your efforts to reopening that portal. This young man seems to have meta-human reflexes and telekinetic abilities." _

It was then that dark green reptilian creature, at least twice the size of Luke's X-Wing with glowing red eyes, emerged from the swamp. It swung at Iron man with a clawed limb, sending him flying out of sight, smashing through trees. The creature's front leg came down on Luke, impaling itself on his lightsaber. Screaming, the monster pressed down, driving Luke into the muddy bank, even as he twisted the lightsaber through its flesh. Luke tried to reach out to it with the force, calming its mind, but he felt only rage.

A small rocket exploded against the creature's side, barely penetrating its scaly hide, but giving Luke the chance to roll free. Iron Man flew toward the monster, sending repulsor blast after blast into its head, but the monster's armor was too thick for it to have any real affect other than angering it. Its tail swiped out, knocking Iron Man out of the air.

Luke leapt, landing on the creature's head. He stabbed his lightsaber into the creature's eye. It screamed, this time in pain, and shook him off. Luke dodged and rolled as it batted at him, claws tore two long scratches across his back.

"Remember that little maneuver we used in New York?" Tony asked Jarvis, launching himself into the air.

_"If it's the one I think you're referring too, I'd rather forget it," _the AI replied.

"Now where's that sense of adventure," Tony dived between rows of teeth toward the back of the creature's mouth, click the cartridges on his wrists into action.

Luke was astonished to see lasers burst from the creature's neck, and work their way around in a circle, till the monster's head was completely severed.

Tony blasted through the gory hole into open air. The air several yards below him began to shimmer, as the giant monster collapsed. "Well, look at that."

On the bank, Luke deactivated his lightsaber, and began to take calming breaths once again. There was no sign of the man of Iron, or most of the creature for that matter.

…

"When I suggested you bring something back with you I wasn't talking about Godzilla," one of the senior scientists had a look of awe on his face.

"Nonsense," said Tony, his helmet clacking open. "Godzilla is so much bigger than this." Glancing down at his dented and sparking armor, smeared with mud and gore, he had to admit it was probably time to hit the shop again. The same went for most of this room; the headless carcass had squashed or shattered most of the computers and machines. Still, it was most likely worth it; this creature was a biologist's dream come true.

Then the skin behind him burst open. A much smaller, ganglier version of the dead monster tackled him to the ground; more mini-creatures emerged from the beast's gullet, at least a dozen of them. Babies perhaps, agitated by their parent's death. The baby's teeth scratched against his armor, Tony twisted, blasting its head off with a repulsor. His faceplate slammed back down over his face.

Men and women throughout the room were screaming. A nearby scientist collapsed as a baby sank its teeth into his head. There was a chatter of gunfire from the security guards, downing several more of the creatures, but they were reluctant to fire directly at the scientists, who were fighting the creatures off with swivel chairs and pieces from broken machinery.

Tony swung, punching out a baby creature, even as weapons banks emerged from his shoulders. Darts whipped into at least five of the baby creatures, downing everyone.

A particularly large baby tackled him, slamming him down on his back, pinning him to the floor, it bit down on his armored head. There was the crack of a gunshot and a bullet ricochet off his helmet.

Tony got to his feet, pushing the dead baby monster aside. A few yards away Dr. Chance stood with an automatic pistol in her hand. That had been the last of them.

"Thank you Doctor," he said.

"Do you want my advice?" she walked toward him through the wreckage, "And actually listen, just this once."

"Sure," Tony said, glancing around. More security guards and medics had flooded the room, attending to the injured.

"That device," she pointed to the wreckage of the portal machine. "Don't rebuild it." Dr. Chase walked to the door and left, she never looked back.


End file.
